The Village of Burns Lake has decided to allocate $300,000 from their capital budget for planning and contingency to complete the firehall renovation project.
Director of Protective Services Robert Krause said the total cost of the water main project which is completed was $303,000.
“We’re still on pace to have sufficient funds between the infrastructure grant that we were awarded and the $300,000 that I had asked council to continue to leave in this year’s budget for contingencies for the fire hall.”
Krause said if the $300,000 is allocated from the Comfor Reserves for the fire hall’s planning purposes, it leaves approximately $180,000 to complete the paving and landscaping.
“The estimate we have today, if we were to pave right now, is $200,000 to do the paving and landscaping. So we’re very close to being able to still complete everything.”
He has concerns over oil prices, which will affect asphalt costs. However, he is hopeful that if Highway 16 and half of the firehall property are paved together, there will be economy of scale that can be managed at a lower price.
“If all those projects come together and we do them all at once, we can get a much better price and should be in good shape.”
Krause said that if council does not approve this budget, they will have to find a different way to fund the $100,000 overspend.
Mayor of Burns Lake Henry Wiebe asked why this overspending happened.
Krause said that $50,000 was paid to LB Paving Ltd. after running all the additional pipelines from the valve in the middle of Highway 35 and later patching it up. This was also included in the $300,000.
He said their initial valve was not working, and thus, they had to dig in out for two days to tie the pipes into the already working valve, which was located closer to the supportive housing building.
Village of Burns Lake Councillor Kevin White inquired about Krause’s report for an additional work order of $115,000.
Krause said changes were made to the original proposal from Western Industrial Contractors Ltd. The gym has been relocated upstairs in the association’s area from the main floor, which needs to be used for fire equipment storage.
“The building inspector said to put a fire-rated window on the second floor the cost will be $6,353 more than a regular glazed window and is a fire code requirement.”
Krause also said an additional $40,000 was required for insulation, and another $40,000 was necessary to reinstall and re-slope the trench drains for water draining from the trucks.
A fire hydrant will be built on the firehall’s parking lot. “This way, I don’t have to fill up on the street on Highway 35 or in the middle of the mall parking lot,” Krause said.
Village of Burns Lake Councillor Charlie Rensby said, “We’re in for a penny for a pound, so it needs to be done. I would like to make a motion for the council to receive the firehall budget updated report and approve the use of $300,000 allocated in the 2023 capital budget planning to complete the firehall renovation project.”
Mayor Wiebe said if everyone is in favour then this motion is carried.
Krause also informed council about their rising expenses for fuel and staff time for their continuous support to the temporary closure of the Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre’s emergency department due to physician shortage.
He said when B.C. Ambulance is transporting patients to Vanderhoof, Smithers, or even as far as Prince George; the fire department is asked to cover for them.
“That’s not helping B.C. Ambulance but doing their job for them.”
Krause’s report to council indicates that out of last month’s 22 emergency calls, nine were only for medical assistance.
He said it might be an opportunity for the council to direct some correspondence to Northern Health and B.C. Ambulance.
“We get nothing from the province for doing that. We only get expendable medical supplies, masks, gloves, oxygen tanks, and more. We do not recoup wages or fuel for the trucks.”
“We’re doing it because we can’t stand by and not help our neighbours, friends, and co-workers when they’re in trouble.”
Krause said they have downgraded from using their rescue truck, the 2019 diesel, to a pickup truck to do medicals call-outs to cut back on the fuel cost and wear and tear on the big truck.
With no recoup, he reduced the number of people responding to medical emergency assistance but the costs are still increasing exponentially.
Councillor White had concerns whether the medical assistance could be managed with financial help.
Krause said it can be managed and he can also provide a report on his medical assistance team if council wants to look into it.
Councillor Rensby said the shortage of physicians and ambulance service shortage is getting out of hand and some dollars need to be put into this.
Krause suggested that council should write a letter to B.C. Emergency Health Service and address all these issues since they oversee and dispatches first responders and B.C. Ambulance.
“We are being called out to be paramedics while there’s no ambulance in town,” Krause said.
Council has decided to work on Krause’s suggestion and write a letter to B.C. Emergency Health Services.